Improvement in farm-fences



mes @sind fr JOI-IN K.ST.AMAN, 0F. MANSFIELD, OHIO.

Letters Patent No. 87,597, dazed March 9, 1869.

IMPROVEMENT vIN' FARM-FENCES.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of the same.

*koi- To all lwhom it ma/y concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN KSTAMA'N, of Mansfield, in the county of Richland, and State. of Ohio, have invented new and useful Improvements in Farm-Fences i this speciication, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, of which drawings- Figure 1 is an elevation of my improved fence. Figure 2 is a plan of the same. f Figure '3 is a front elevation' of the middle truss of ence. y

Figure 4 is a detail elevation, showing mode of uniting the main-pst and binding-post.

Figure 5 is an elevation of binding-iron.

Figure 6 is an elevation of an iron used to punch a hole in the main post, for the admission of the toe of the binding-iron. l Y

The nature of my 'invention consists in the n'ovel method of securing the outer post, or binding-hatten, to the main post of a fence, said method consisting in the use of a binding-iron, in combination with a hole in the main' post, a hole through the binding-post or batten, anda retaining-pin, whereby I obtain great durability and strength of construction, at a small expense of material and constructive labor. .i

My invention also relates to the novel combination of the several parts of a suspended truss-post, which is of very simple construction Vand moderate cost, and of great utility in the construction of any farm-fence, but especially of' that class known as portable fences, as its construction is peculiarly adapted to the easy and rapid putting 11p ortaking down of fences composed of tx-uss-postsand common rails.

To-enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will proceed to describe its construction and operation. v

In the accompanying drawings, two kinds of posts are represented, the end posts being secured in an upright position by having their lower ends buried in a hole dug-'in the ground, while the centre post is a suspeuded truss-post; but the method of securing the batteu or binding-post to the main post is the same in each of the posts. shown. ,3

In each of these main end posts D D, either before or after they are planted in holes in the ground, are bored two or more holes g g, which vholes extend from f one-half` to twothirds of the distance through the post D, as seen in iig. 4.

. In the battens or main posts O O are bored the holes hh, which holes are bored entirely through the battens O, audwhich are so arranged as to come directly opposite the holes g g in the main post D, when the batten O is in position.

The binding-iron (l, shown in iig. 5, is made of' round or square iron, and is provided at its ends with the arms f and c, of about one or two inches in length.

An iron, K, of from one to two feet in length, is provided with a point, k, at its end, said point k being of about the same size and vlength as one of the arms e or f o f the binding-iron d, as shown in iig. 6.

By means of this iron K, with point k, a h0le', is formed at the Vrear of the hole g in the main post D, as seen in iig. 4. y

The binding-iron d is then inserted in the hole g of the main, post D, its arm e tting into the hole i, as shown while the other end of said iron extends through the hole h-in thev hatten O, the arm f holding against the outside of the batten C, as shown;

A pin, c, of the size of the holes h and g, less the size of the iron d, is then driven in over said iron, as seen in g. 4, thus rmly securing the batten O on the' iron d, and said iron d in the main post D,.as is readily seen.

The number of these binding-irons d, and'retainingpins c, to be used between the main post and its batten, depends somewhat on the thickness of the batten, and the weight of the fence-rails used, and can be varied to suit circumstances, two or three being usually a suiiioient number, but more being used if found desirable.

'IheY fence-rails A A, B B, are laid on the pins c c, and Vbetween the battens O O and D D, as shown in iigs. 1 and 2, andthe piecesa a and b b are inserted between the ends of the rails A A and B B, and between the battens C and posts I), at the ends of the fence, to keep said rails at the proper distances from each other, as -is readily seen.

Where rails are desired below thel lower pins c c, they `are laid between the battens D and posts D, andtheir ends rest on stones or blocks, in an obvious manner.

Thecentre truss-post shown is composed of the main post Eand battenl1`,'whieh is united to the post E by bindingfirons d d, and retaining-pins c c, as before shown.

This post E is not fixed in the ground like the posts D, before described, but has the notches n n cutin its sides, in which t the oblique ends of the truss-braces G G, as shown' in g. 3, the'lower parts of said braces being united by the cross-bar H, which is nailed to the main post E and braces Gr Gr, as shown, from which it is readily seen that the' whole weight of the truss and rails may be thrown on. the braces 'G G, the bottoms of both the batten F and main post E being clearof the ground, if desired.

Ihe manner of arranging the main post E, hatten F, braces Gr G, and cross-bar H, with respect to each l other, as well as the mode of arranging the ends of the rails A A and B B in said truss-post, is too obvious,

from an inspection of gs. l, 2, and 3, to require particular description. y

The hole i is formed within the hole g of the main post D, byinseitingtbe iron la in said hole, and then raising the outer end of the same, which forces the toe Vk into the bottom ofthe hole g, thus making the hole i', by reason ot'i the outer and upper part of the hole g acting as a fulcrum to the iron K, as shown by dotted red lines, in fig. 4, or the toe 7c maybe forced in by hammering on the iron K, outside 'of the hole g, in a manner readily seen.

' Having thus fully described my invention, I do not here claim the iron K, which I use in forming the inner hole t', in the hole g of the main post D, as I have shown this iron, in this speeieatiomsimply to show what I consider as the best mode of forming the inner hole z' in the fence-post; but

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. The binding-iron cl, with arms e and f, when used in combination with the main post D of a fence, having a hole, g, out partially through the saine, and provided With a small hole, i, the batten C having the hole h out through the same, and the retaining-pin c, the

several parts being arranged substantially as and for the purpose specified.

2. The suspended truss-post herein described, consisting of the main post E, provided with notches n n, and the hatten F, secured to it by means of the binding-irons d l and retaining-pins c e, as is herein shown, the braces G G and cross-bar H, the several parts being constructed, combined, and arranged substantially as and for the purpose specified.

As evidence that I claim theforegoing, I have hereunto set my hand, in presence of two Witnesses, this 10th day of December, A. D. 1868.

Witnesses: J NO. K. STAM/AN.

GEO. A. GLUGs'roN, HENRY G. HEDG-Es. 

